My Parents … A Lesson in Understanding

It is interesting to flash back through your life and realize the beginning of a new shift of thought.  I was a eight when I saw my parents as fallible for the first time.  I was cognizant of it when it occurred, and I withdrew into my own inner space afterwards.  They had made an erroneous, prejudice remark about a playmate of mine, and at that moment I realized they were human.  Children aren’t born with prejudices, they are taught.  I felt it in my ‘gut’ that they were wrong, a strong pang right under my belly button.  It was the first time I stood up and told them that their thoughts about my friend were wrong.  They changed their stance after my argument, but I’ll never forget looking at them in a different way after that.  I realized it was a lesson for me to learn about empowerment, and it has stayed with me for over 38 years.  From that point on, I was to see each individual in my life as someone that was to teach me something I needed to learn.  But my ‘gut’ was telling me more.   Continue reading →